Lessons                                                                       Bread of Life                                                         26 October 2024

Jeremiah 31:7–9

7 Thus says the Lord:

"Sing aloud with gladness for Jacob,

        and raise shouts for the chief of the nations;

proclaim, give praise, and say,

        ‘O Lord, save your people,

        the remnant of Israel.'

₈Behold, I will bring them from the north country

        and gather them from the farthest parts of the earth,

among them the blind and the lame,

        the pregnant woman and she who is in labor, together;

        a great company, they shall return here.

₉With weeping they shall come,

        and with pleas for mercy I will lead them back,

I will make them walk by brooks of water,

        in a straight path in which they shall not stumble,

for I am a father to Israel,

        and Ephraim is my firstborn."

Psalm 126

₁When the Lord restored the fortunes of | Zion,*

        we were like | those who dream.

₂Then our mouth was filled with | laughter,*

        and our tongue with | shouts of joy;

then they said among the nations,

        "The Lord has done great | things for them."*

₃The Lord has done great things for us; | we are glad.

₄Restore our fortunes, | O Lord,*

        like streams in the | Negeb!

₅Those who | sow in tears*

        shall reap with | shouts of joy!

₆He who goes out weeping,

        bearing the seed for | sowing,*

shall come home with shouts of joy,

        bringing his | sheaves with him.

Hebrews 7:23–28

        ₂₃The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, ₂₄but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. ₂₅Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

        ₂₆For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. ₂₇He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself. ₂₈For the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect forever.

Mark 10:46–52

        ₄₆They came to Jericho. And as [Jesus] was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. ₄₇And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" ₄₈And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" ₄₉And Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart. Get up; he is calling you." ₅₀And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. ₅₁And Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" And the blind man said to him, "Rabbi, let me recover my sight." ₅₂And Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.